The United States men's sprint relay team was on Wednesday stripped of the silver medal won at the 2012 London Olympics as a result of Tyson Gay's doping case.

Gay last year returned his own medal and accepted a one-year suspension, plus the loss of results dating back to July 2012, after testing positive for steroids at the 2013 US championships.

However, the fate of his London 4x100 metre relay team-mates had been unclear until Wednesday's announcement, which came via the United States Olympic Committee.

"As expected, following USADA's decision in the Tyson Gay case, the IOC today confirmed that the US team has been disqualified from the 4x100-metre race that was part of the athletics competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games," USOC chief communications and public affairs officer Patrick Sandusky said.

"We will begin efforts to have the medals returned, and support all measures to protect clean athletes."

The decision means that Trell Kimmons, Justin Gatlin, Ryan Bailey, Jeffery Demps and Darvis Patton will be forced to forfeit their medals.

Kimmons, Gatlin and Bailey ran in the final alongside Gay, setting what had been a national record of 37.04 seconds.

It is not yet known if the silver medal will be reallocated. Trinidad and Tobago finished third and France fourth in the final.